autonomous vehicle
What It Means
An autonomous vehicle is any machine that can drive or navigate itself without human control, using sensors, cameras, and AI to understand its surroundings and make driving decisions. This includes everything from self-driving cars and delivery trucks to warehouse robots and agricultural equipment that can operate independently.
Why Chief AI Officers Care
These systems represent massive liability and safety risks since AI algorithms are making split-second decisions that could cause accidents, requiring robust testing, monitoring, and explainability frameworks. The regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving with new compliance requirements around safety standards, data collection, and algorithmic accountability that could impact deployment timelines and costs.
Real-World Example
A logistics company deploys autonomous delivery trucks that must navigate city streets, but when one truck's AI system misidentifies a construction barrier and causes a traffic incident, the company faces lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and must demonstrate their AI decision-making process was reasonable and well-tested.
Common Confusion
People often think autonomous vehicles are either fully self-driving or not, but there are actually five levels of automation from basic driver assistance to complete autonomy. Many current 'self-driving' cars still require human oversight and intervention in complex situations.
Industry-Specific Applications
See how this term applies to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government, tech, and insurance.
Healthcare: In healthcare, autonomous vehicles include medical delivery drones, hospital transport robots, and ambulances with self-...
Finance: In finance, autonomous vehicles represent both investment opportunities and risk assessment challenges, requiring specia...
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Includes:
- 6 industry-specific applications
- Relevant regulations by sector
- Real compliance scenarios
- Implementation guidance
Technical Definitions
NISTNational Institute of Standards and Technology
"[an] automobile, bus, tractor, combine, boat, forklift, etc. . . . capable of sensing its environment and moving safely with little or no human input."Source: Introduction_to_Information_Systems
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